How often do you use time signatures other than 4/4?

alexanderbeetle · Post by **alexanderbeetle** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 11:01 pm

I hate to admit this, but I only ever write in 4/4. Is this because I am a musically inept philistine, or do other people find themselves falling into the same trap? In my defense, most of the stuff I write tends to fall into the techno/electro sphere, for which I guess 4/4 tends to be most appropriate. But I can't help feeling like I'm ruling out a whole world of vibe/feeling by never starting my jams/sketches in any other time signature.

Am I alone in this?

leedsquietman · Post by **leedsquietman** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 11:12 pm

Even though I use other timing signatures, notably 7/8, 5/4 or 6/8, I mostly use 4/4.

There are plenty of old style electro Vangelis and JMJ tunes that deviate from 4/4, for example Oxygene IV one of the best known synth tunes of all times is in a funky 6/8 timing. Stuff like Tears For Fears 'Everybody Wants To Rule The World' and Naked Eyes horrendous 'Always Something There To Remind Me' use this timing too. It is basically a doubled up 3/4 timing common to waltz music or something like 'Clean' by Depeche Mode.

But most house/trance relies on that pumping boom/boom/boom/boom kick drum on each beat, so is 4/4 by default.

My latest 'Umbriel Rising' electro synth album WUNDA has 2 tracks out of 8 that deviate form 4/4, those being tracks 6 Trippy Dub Chill which starts in 7/8 and then morphs in tempo and time signature to 4/4 reggae - made possible with Live 7's automated timing signatures and 7) Anaesthetic Dream which is in 5/4 the whole tune through.

http://www.jamendo.com/en/album/27752 listen here for examples or download through my website http://www.distinguishedrecordings.com

5/4 is quite common in jazz and blues, such as Dave Brubecks 'Take Five' (famous sax riff) and old hippy rockers Jethro Tull's 'Living In The Past'.

That guy Aaron Funk a.k.a. Venetian Snares does almost all his recent music in non 4/4 timing too.

Tarekith · Post by **Tarekith** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 11:30 pm

I use 4/4 most of the time, but I really like the challenge of writing in other TS's too. Maybe 10% of the time I do?

sparklepuff · Post by **sparklepuff** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 11:36 pm

As a guitar player, 3/4, 6/8, or mixed time signature things tend to happen a lot more often than when sitting in front of a computer. Throw in a 5/4 bar in a 4/4 tune, a 7/4 bar, alternate things up here and there. The problem with opening up Live or any DAW is that it tells you right of the bat what time signature you're going to be playing unless you do something about it before you start.

blank · Post by **blank** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 11:40 pm

I started using 3/4 and 6/8 a lot in the last year, I use 5/4 too but not that much.

It's pretty interesting to experiment with metrics.

Angstrom · Post by **Angstrom** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 11:52 pm

If you are writing dancefloor stuff I am not surprised that you rarely venture away from 4/4. The general public's dancing usually isn't up to grooving to odd signatures . Kids can do it though, and enjoy it.

I have part of one of my songs in 15/8
I didn't do it on purpose, honest.

there's an old and un-pleasantly mixed mp3 of that section here (the first few bars are 4/4 ... then into 15/8 )

I tend to just write stuff and then figure out what timing it is in.
sometimes it comes out in non-standard timings. 15/ 8 is still the weirdest I think.

Pitch Black · Post by **Pitch Black** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 12:36 am

I submit that the theme from (UK cop show) The Bill is the best-known example of 7/8 to most people.

sparklepuff · Post by **sparklepuff** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 12:59 am

I played this tune back when I was 15. Talk about cutting your teeth on odd time signatures.

And, yes, I know you are all going to absolutely hate that fucking song, but try counting it, I dare you.

udp · Post by **udp** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 1:18 am

^^^ I don't hate Metheny at all. I cut my jazz teeth on him and David Sanborn and Oregon and Spyro Gyra. I've since grown past those groups, but it's still fun to listen to every now and again. It's kinda like bustin' out the old Paul Oakenfold discs. I can no longer stomach a long diet of it, but one mixed in with Alvo Nota and Tarakeith is cool. Now more on the forum topic. As a classically trained composer, I use mixed meter all the time. It was my number one request for Live before version 7.

Angstrom · Post by **Angstrom** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 1:21 am

man, that video at 1:28

If I had known 'key fondler' was a viable job I wouldn't have wasted my time with all this other stuff.

Machinate · Post by **Machinate** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 1:22 am

funny, I just finished a track in 7/4, probably my favourite time sig:

"label as incomplete"

has an underlying percussion loop at 4/4, which twists things around.

noisetonepause · Post by **noisetonepause** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 1:22 am

Lately about half the stuff I do is in 5/4.

I'm not sure I agree witht he concept of time signatures, though. Sometimes I wish I'd never heard of them...

Akshara · Post by **Akshara** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 1:49 am

With odd times and dance music, using an x/2 time signature is often helpful so that the overall cycle lines up with the kick pulse, rather than on the upbeat, ie. 3/2, 5/2, 7/2, 9/2, 11/2, etc. Seems like a simple distinction, yet can make a difference.

Related to that, utilizing an x4 time cycle on a slower octave of time is a simple way of expressing an odd time while staying within the 4/4 time signature, ie. a 28 beat cycle where each beat gets a half note or a measure, rather than a straight 7/4.

Most, though not all, of the music we hear or play which uses odd time signatures can be broken down to a 2/4/8 somehow anyway; and that which doesn't really requires a specialized knowledge of rhythmic structure to pull off effectively.

sparklepuff · Post by **sparklepuff** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 1:58 am

Angstrom wrote:man, that video at 1:28

If I had known 'key fondler' was a viable job I wouldn't have wasted my time with all this other stuff.

chapelier fou · Post by **chapelier fou** » Tue Jul 08, 2008 8:33 am

Listen to moondog, guys!!!!